For sale is our store's dealer demonstration unit of the ridiculously awesome Abbingdon Music Research (AMR) AM-77.1 integrated amplifier in the titanium dark grey finish. The casework on this piece is out of this world gorgeous, and it's got the sound quality to match the design aesthetic.
The *ONLY* reason this piece is for sale is that the US distrbutor for AMR is no longer importing the top end series of AMR (the 77 series, not to be confused with the 777 series which includes the multi-award winning DP-777 tube output DAC). Given the massive number of new demo pieces that have arrived here in the past few months, as much as I love this piece and would prefer to keep it as a personal item for myself, I've got dozens of other options on any given day that I can pull from the warehouse and listen to in our showroom spaces. It is with regret that I post this for sale.... I may still pull it back and not let someone take it.... grab it quick in my current moment of weakness....
Unit is the latest and greatest 77.1 version and comes with all the original materials, including the special flight case that protects it in shipment. I think the physical cosmetic shape is excellent. But after a debacle recently with a 1/4" swirl mark on the bottom of a speaker that I didn't see in direct sunlight, I'm going to say this piece is 6/10 - 7/10 on the audiogon scale on purpose so there are no bad feelings when the unit arrives. I can't find any scratches or obvious damage marks anywhere, but I'm still sticking with 6/10 - 7/10 to be safe.
MSRP was $9,995.00 at the time I bought this unit. MSRP price spiked up a touch right before they decided to only import the 777 series. But sale price will be based off actual price at the time of purchase.
SPECIAL SALE PRICE: $3799.99 plus shipping & fees. No, that's not a mis-print.... Priced waaaaaaaaaay below dealer cost to entice quick sale with minimal hours of effort on my part to get the deal done. Given the number of contiguous 20+ hour days I've had recently trying to get the new stuff organized so I can make announcements, the idea of a quick sale where I don't have to take 30 hours being too wordy in email replies and phone conversations to get the deal done is worth more to me than taking more of a bath on this than normal.
Wow... I can't believe I actually typed that.... that price is more than a couple grand under dealer price. It goes without saying, that price is FIRM. I'd like to move the product out and re-invest the capital back into additional backstock inventory of some of the new stuff that's piling up here and in the warehouse. But any less, and I'd rather just keep it and continue to enjoy it personally in another system rather than lose any more money on it.
It's worth noting that the product is still fully supported by the distributor as they have a continuing relationship with AMR and the subsidiary iFi Audio. They are a GREAT bunch of guys there at AMR and I can't recommend their products more highly. The 77 series models still exist and are still sold worldwide. They just aren't stocked anymore in the USA by the distributor. They've been spending their capital to try to keep backstock of the ultra affordable iFi Audio pieces.
Please contact us via PM here on AN, email (sales at nightanddayaudio dot com), or phone (919 632 25 six nine) to make a purchase.
Payment for continental USA customers can be Paypal (preferred in this instance, but buyers **MUST** have verified account with confirmed address. zero exceptions to this rule and we will only ship to the confirmed address on the payment), credit card direct (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and Discover), USPS money order, or personal check (but check must fully clear before I will ship, meaning weeks of delay. I offer it for those that need to go this route, but not advised if you want the item quickly and have the capability to use the other, faster methods indicated above). USA customers not in the lower 48 may still use these payment methods, but additional shipping charges will apply beyond our standard shipping rates for continental USA folks. Please contact to discuss and finalize before purchase.
I am allowing international buyers on this purchase. However, any potential international buyer wanting the unit shipped outside of the states *MUST* contact me first to discuss and confirm additional shipping charges and sale conditions. Please be advised that any international transaction will have to be via bank to bank transfer for payment if you want any kind of special shipping circumstance. Paypal, even with a verified account and confirmed address does not have full seller protection on international sales. It's a sneaky little thing they put in the fine print that they don't want sellers to question until they get &^%#@ed out of equipment and the funds that were used to buy it. For domestic sales with Paypal payment you will have to have everything in place and I will follow paypal's seller protection policy to the very letter to protect myself from their attempts to break their own policies.
From the manufacturer: see more at their website: http://www.amr-audio.co.uk/html/am_individual.html
AM-77 Reference Class Dual-Mono Amplifier
Solid-state amplification has taken the listener to ever more power and ever higher specification levels. This has led to many a solid-state amplifier
sounding increasingly unnatural and bleached.
The AM-77 Dual Mono Amplifier seeks to redress this: through a fusion of valve and solid-state, it is the only high-powered amplifier in the world that:
"Sounds like an exceptional Single-Ended Triode(SET) valve amplifier."
With a pure 180W per channel, the AM-77 uncannily boasts pure power with the ability to drive even the most difficult of loudspeakers with speed, rhythm and most important of all, life; each voice, instrument and performance sounding just like the real thing.
At the heart is a no compromise combination of zero negative feedback, pure Class A valve stages in the pre-amplification section coupled in the
power amplification section, with bipolar output devices in AMR’s proprietary “Class X: Jikoda” circuit.
The AM-77 is one of the very few amplifiers able to move the listener with a stirring and touching musical performance reminiscent of an exceptional SET valve amplifier does.
180W Solid-State Power Buffer with unique error correction circuit
Ultra Transparent OptiLevel® Volume Control
OptiGain® Pure Class A all Valve Preamplifier
Block Diagram for AMR's AM-77: Pre-Main Amplifier
OptiGain®
OptiGain® is AMR's unique amplification circuitry design: it is the combination of premium thermionic electron valves in the voltage gain stage with a patent-pending "Class X: Jikoda circuit" comprised of matched bipolar output devices.
AMR's "Class X: Jikoda circuit" in real-time, simultaneously detects and cancels unwanted artifacts in the audio signal: none pass to effect the playback of music.
The same cannot be said of traditional amplification designs found in mainstream amplifiers (of which the lion's share employ solid-state amplification) that use designs based upon the feedback circuit which in theory and in practice, is 'after the event' as it goes back and adjusts the circuit's input.
AMR through its exhaustive testing and auditioning, found that with generic feedback designs because errors in the audio signal still pass through, it is fundamentally flawed and largely accountable for the undesirable "solid-state signature" leveled at such sources. This is one of the main reasons why many have deemed the use of solid-state devices as an inferior approach to high-quality amplification when compared to the employment of valves.
As a result, with the AM-77, the resultant synergy of the OptiGain® circuit is the ability to amplify the delicate audio signal to an exemplary high level: whilst still retaining the sought-after finesse characteristically found only in the highest quality, "no feedback", single-ended valve amplification designs.
OptiLevel®
OptiGain® inherently outperforms all conventional types of volume controls to ensure that at low as well at high volumes, the dynamic range is virtually unhindered while preserving every bit of minuscule information in the signal. Also, incorporated is "Level Offset Matching" where different level input sources can be preset to the same level for the most enjoyable listening conditions.
OptiOperation®
OptiOperation® modes offer unrivalled functionality and flexibility. Whatever the requirements of the system, one or more AM-77s are more than capable of delivering what is needed at the optimum level of quality and can be seamlessly integrated into home theatre setups.
OptiProtect®
OptiProtect® protection circuitry reliably protects amplifier and speakers from conditions that might lead to damage without any sonic impact whatsoever when the protection circuitry is inactive.
OptiCool®
OptiCool® offers exceptional cooling performance without the need for traditional resonant heatsinks which resonate as many tuning forks.
OptiPower®
OptiPower® supply circuit is completely free of regulators from beginning to end. This is an essential pre-cursor for subsequent thermionic electron valve circuits operating with no negative feedback to attain the maximum sonic performance.
OptiMains®
OptiMains® is truly one of a kind in that it will maintain the optimal voltage to internal circuits to ensure the best sonic performance (and longest tube life). This patent-pending circuit will automatically detect, monitor and adjust if necessary, the incoming voltage to ensure the correct voltage is always supplied to the relevant internal sub-sections.
OptiTrans®
OptiTrans®power supply transformers have been designed as advanced double C-Core types to sonically surpass even the impressive R-Core transformers used in many high-end components and comprehensively outclasses traditional EI and to roidal transformers used in many peer group products.
OptiSeal®
OptiSeal® is the galvanic sealing of functional sections in the transformer and includes the use of separate transformer windings to ensure that noise from one section does not contaminate adjacent sections in a full dual-mono audio circuit design.
OptiChassis®
OptiChassis® is based upon the "ratio aureum" design principle along with a pure copper inner chassis. The result is an unrivalled low resonance signature, optimised electrical and thermal properties.
OptiIsolate®
OptiIsolate® supports were drawn from the far more exacting aerospace industry to provide maximum mechanical isolation of the solid aluminium chassis from unwanted vibrations and resonances.
Hand-selected, premium electronic components
AMR components use premium components chosen after extensive evaluation, lengthy and comprehensive listening tests. These include Ultra High Speed RF, military-grade design printed circuit boards, German-made premium film capacitors, AMR's own power supply polypropylene film Music Capacitors, low noise rectifiers and FEP Teflon insulated cable with silver-plate copper conductors for chassis wiring.
Dual-Mono Amplifier Specifications
Inputs:
• 5 x RCA
• 1 x XLR Bal. shared with 1 RCA
• 1 X iPod® shared with 1 RCA
Volume Control:
• 71dB – 0dB in 1dB steps + Mute
Input Sensitivity (IHF 2.83V Out)/Impedance:
• < 0.05V / >20KOhm
Power Output (IHF Dynamic Power):
• 270 watts per channel at 8 ohm
(FTC):
• 180 watts per channel at 8 ohm
Output impedance:
• 0.5 ohm, 20-20,000 Hz
Frequency Response (-1dB):
• 10Hz - 50kHz
Signal-to-noise ratio 'A' weighted:
• >100dB
Operational Modes:
• Pre-Main amplifier mode
• Power amplifier mode
• Monoblock option
• Unlimited AM-77s may be synchronised
Thermionic Electron Valves
• 5687/6900 (NOS): amplification stage
Power Transformer:
• 1200VA Custom Double C Core
Power Supply Capacitance:
• 108,000uF per Channel
Rated voltage:
• Mains voltage: USA/Canada 120 V~, 60 Hz
• Mains voltage: Europe/U.K./Australia 230 V~, 50 Hz
• Mains voltage: Japan 100 V~, 50 - 60 Hz
• Mains voltage: General export model 100/120/230 V~, 50 - 60 Hz
Dimensions:
•17.9in W by 6.2in H by 18.3in D
• 46cm W by 16cm H by 47cm D
Weight:
• Amplifier: 75lbs / 34kg
• Shipped: 121lbs / 55kg
